Critique of Scarbinsky (Scab) as a Radio Personality

CapstoneTider

Suspended
Dec 6, 2000
7,453
6
0
Opinions on Kevin Scarbinsky AKA Scab as a radio host on the somewhat new 97.3 The Zone? I have tired a little bit of the Opening Drive and have given the Smashmouth Radio a good amount of time. I will probably be in the minority but Kevin is pretty entertaining and a nice change in the morning. He stays on target, is quick minded, well spoken and is honest. I see him having a good career in this area. I didn't not like him at all before this. He keeps the information flowing on the radio.

The opening drive has two guys with very close ties to their schools who during tough times stick to the talking points which can be a little boring. Scab, like Finebaum, doesn't have to do that and it opens things up a bit.

I am giving Smashmouth the edge of The Opening Drive.

As many know, Paul Finebaum sued Citadel Broadcasting to get out of his contract after they filed for bankruptcy and had some money issues with the Paul Finebaum Radio Network. He lost but his contract is up at the end of the year and it's all but guaranteed that he is leaving Jox for The Zone, which will make 97.3 the premier sports network in Birmingham. The boss at JOX is supposed to be a very unlikable individual.

Any comments on Scarbinsky appreciated.
 

tidebanker

1st Team
Oct 10, 2002
665
158
167
Hoover, AL USA
I've greatly disliked Scab's columns and attribute much of the issues with the Thrice Weekly to his lame attempt at journalism.

With that said....I've enjoyed the show even though I wanted to dislike it. The OD just tiptoes around topics so as not to offend either homer.

Side note....I'm glad Barbie-bo is gone in the afternoons. Horrific. Absolutely horrific.
 

TideMom2Boys

Hall of Fame
Nov 17, 2010
20,214
398
102
Alabama
I haven't really listened to him, but I enjoy following him on twitter. He always has info and notes from who he interviews on there.

In the afternoon, I tuned in for a bit on Monday while waiting in the car line at my child's school. I liked it a lot better than those crazy callers on Paul's show.

It was a coach on there and I loved his breakdown of our Game and the look ahead to this week.
 

h2o

1st Team
Dec 31, 2006
435
1
37
Winfield, Alabama
I can't stand to listen to The Opening Drive because of Al Delgreco (sp?). I stopped reading the Birmingham News and al.com because of Scarbinsky's always pro auburn / anti-Alabama garbage. I have been listening to 97.3 in the mornings on my way to work and I must admit I like it much better than the OD. I don't know who at auburn has stepped on Scarbos toes but he has really turned on auburn.
 

venegoni

Scout Team
Mar 18, 2007
128
0
0
To me the round table is the best show on either staion right now. It is entertaining and they still stick to sports.
 

78Alum

All-American
Aug 1, 2007
2,676
725
162
67
Alabaster, AL
I agree. As prejudiced as I was against him, I like it much better than the OD. The only thing I listen to on JOX is the Roundtable. I hate the FB callers. I like him on his interviews but can't stand the constant callers talking about other callers. Let's talk sports... I like Coach Max pretty good so I am not looking forward to FB moving and taking that slot if he does.
 

4Q Basket Case

FB|BB Moderator
Staff member
Nov 8, 2004
9,554
12,823
237
Tuscaloosa
I listen to the OD because of the guests. They have Finebaum on Mondays, Phil Savage on Wednesdays (outstanding insight there), and I'm really getting to like Spencer Tillman on Thursdays. They had Ivan Maisel today.

But the callers are obliviots, so as soon as the guests are gone, I switch to Scarbinsky and Griffin.

That's a challenge in and of itself, though. I don't mind Scarbinsky, but Scott Griffin has never outgrown his junior high jock knucklehead nature. Listening to him is like listening to the Biff character from Back to the Future.

It is, however, better than listening to Tony Kurre / Beavis go back and forth with the OD callers.

I would disagree with the board consensus on Del Greco. When he first was on, he was obnoxious, but he's gotten better. Jay Barker has actually regressed. After going through the rookie learning curve, he was well prepared and a voice of reason. But since he's become Mr. Sarah Evans, he's forever gone and/or totally unprepared, skating on her celebrity and money, and the goodwill he built up over the years. A shadow of what he once was and could still be.
 

capnfrog

All-American
Aug 17, 2002
3,556
0
155
Pell city, Al. U.S.A.
I quit taking the bham news because of Scarbinsky but I watch him with Mike Raita on The Zone on sunday nights and he has seemingly quit all the Bama bashing and albarn loving. I set my radio to 94.5 a few years ago and never changed it but I will probably make 97.3 my new station to listen to since 94.5 has gotten so boring lately. I would imagine 97.3 will be quite entertaining with both Finebaum and Scarbinsky. Will they both be together or each have their own segment?
 

bama2112

All-American
Nov 19, 2006
2,015
290
107
Cobb County, Ga.
For those of you that are not old enough to recall.

1.Finebaum started with the (now defunct Birmingham Post Hearld) as a writer in 1980 give or take a year. He columns at the time were sharp, pointed and at times very annoying. He went after Coach Bryant in the final years of his career and life. I sent Finebaum several emails requesting where I could find reprints of those twice a week articles but he always failed to provide me any info. So he made his name in print and as since aged and grew up. He was pretty much a pariah with Bama fans, and Coach Bryant refused to allow him a private interview. He was invited to his final interview after the Liberty Bowl and will talk about it on his radio show.

2. Scab is trying to be the Finebaum of todays reports , but falls way short . Where as Finebaum really made people mad, Scab is a joke.

3. If anyone has links to where to find copies of the old finebaum newspaper articles please post it . The younger generation will get a kick out of the crap he spewed forth.
 

crimsonbleeder

All-American
Dec 1, 2002
2,703
3
0
Birmingham, AL
I started listening to that station from the very beginning, back when Eli and Stan were on there. At first I didn't like Kevin, but he and Scott have a great dynamic and I enjoy listening to the both of them. Kevin is the most knowledgeable radio person we have in the morning around here, and he can be a little arrogant, but I find that interesting and entertaining, especially with Griff there to disarm most of the time.
 

bamamc1

Hall of Fame
Oct 24, 2011
5,392
3,870
187
Haleyville, AL
I can't stand to listen to The Opening Drive because of Al Delgreco (sp?). I stopped reading the Birmingham News and al.com because of Scarbinsky's always pro auburn / anti-Alabama garbage. I have been listening to 97.3 in the mornings on my way to work and I must admit I like it much better than the OD. I don't know who at auburn has stepped on Scarbos toes but he has really turned on auburn.
scAUrbinsky is dumb but he's not stupid. The newspaper business is fading very fast. Radio is his out and to keep ads flowing you can't tick off the fanbase of the state's largest following..... The University of Alabama
 

CapstoneTider

Suspended
Dec 6, 2000
7,453
6
0
scAUrbinsky is dumb but he's not stupid.
I hated some of his articles, but I never thought he was lacking in intelligence. I always thought he was pretty sharp, just tried to be too abrasive at times. In the radio business I think he can explain himself better, and it doesn't sound as bad.
 

BamaMan09

All-SEC
Feb 26, 2009
1,852
0
0
The callers on WJOX are what turn me off. Obviously Del Greco is a huge barn homer and it's hard to listen to that crap but the callers on there are just awful. They give certain callers their own platform each day for some reason. I.E. Dawson, Legend, Tammy, Darrell from Columbus. Those type callers have ruined JOX. The Round Table is very good but the other two shows suck because of the idiot, nutcase regular callers sissy fighting with each other. It's just a big soap opera. The Round Table is entertaining and pretty much free of that type stuff.
 

New Posts

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.